Course Details

Technology and Society

Technology and society are unthinkable without each other, each provides the means and framework in which the other develops. To explore this dynamic, this course investigates a wide array of questions on the interaction between technology, society, politics, and economics, emphasizing the themes such as innovation and regulation, risk and failure, ethics and expertise. Specific topics covered include nuclear power and disasters, green energy, the development and regulation of the Internet, medical expertise and controversy, intellectual property, the financial crisis, and the electric power grid.

Reading/Writing assignments:
Students should expect roughly 100 pages of reading a week. A capstone project for the course is spread out over the semester. It requires a short proposal due before the break, a project element due on the last day of class, and the final element due on dean's date.